Paris restaurants: Bofinger, Viel Ami

[jh1922]

I'm going to Paris in July and would appreciate comments on the following restaurants:- La Fontaine Gaillon; Mon Veil Ami; and Bofinger. As you might guess from the list, we're trying a mix of Bistrot, fine dining and contemporary.

Thanks

jh

[John Talbott]

I was there in Frebruary and said this:

Mon Vieil Ami, 69 St Louis en l'Ile, 01.40.46.01.35 telephone, 01.40.46.01.36 fax, opened a while back and was quickly reviewed in Figaroscope Jan 14th, (3 hearts), by Patricia Wells January 30th, by Francois Simon in Figaroscope's Hache Menu February 4th and more recently by Gault Millau (13/20) in Feb-March and in Paris Bites in Paris Notes in March. It's Antoine Westerman's (Buerehiesel in Strasbourg) newest venture. Located on the Ile St Louis amid jewelry and art shops, it's modern and jammed with closely-packed tables. They offer a "welcome" drink and a menu at 38E, the same price as taking a 1st (10E), plat (20E) and dessert (8E) separately. The weekday lunch I went (it's also open weekends), it was packed mostly with anglophones, thus no smoking. I had a 1st of very nice poireaux and mackerel poele, a main of a cocotte of Barbery duck with carrots and potatoes and couscous, which was not mind-blowing and a generous dessert of exotic fruits. The wines ranged from 4.20E a glass to the 30's. My bill eating solo was 51E. It's closed Monday and Tuesday lunch. Metro Pont Marie

[Bux]

jh1922, let me suggest you also do a search on those three restaurants. I don't recall mention of la Fontaine Gaillon, but both Mon Veil Ami and Bofinger have been discussed before. It may be that those who have already posted on these restaurants will not read the forum in the next few days, or that having exhausted their opinions and store of information on the restaurants, will prefer to devote their attention to other threads and not repeat themselves here as John so thoughtfully did.

[picaman]

Mon Veil Ami

Here's the link to JT's review of Mon Vieil Ami, with my impressions and pictures posted later in the thread.

Jamie

[TarteTatin]

We love Bofinger, except for the last few times. It's beautiful in that 'vieux style' fashion. Unfortunately, the dragons with smoky breath who guard the door make it unnecessarily difficult to get a table. We've stopped by mid afternoon in late December - early January midweek and have been told that the best that they could do was after 10:30PM and not in the beautiful main room with the glass dome ceiling. This has happened to us twice. The food there is adequate, but nothing extraordinary. It is fun, though a bit overpriced. Lunch is better and easier than dinner.

Try Rotisserie Beaujolais across the Seine on the Quai Tournelle, next to Tour d'Argent (and it is a sister restaurant). A bit touristy, but you do get the locals as well.

And we just discovered Chez Prosper near Place de la Nation. Total smoky bistro with few anglophones.

Salads, steak frites and a reasonable wine list. Berthillon ice cream to boot.